It is one of the largest consumer-review internet based services, offering free access to over 8 million reviews posted on its website to date (as of 2010).

[2] It serves as a free alternative to Consumer Reports and Angie's List which provide some similar fee-based services.

RateItAll was founded in San Francisco in 1999[1] by software entrepreneur Lawrence Coburn[3] and one other creator with the following business idea.

The Internet features a wide range of user reviews and ratings for numerous purposes including social networking sites and blogs.

Accordingly, RateItAll lets users rate a wide variety of things such as consumer products, services, movies, people, politics, travel,[3] musicians, actors, colleges, baseball teams, drinks, and other things [6] by uploading ratings and reviews from their computer to the RateItAll website.

[8] In addition, the RateItAll website allowed users seeking information to use filters to isolate the opinions of specific demographic groups.

"[3] Mr. Coburn elaborated that RateItAll tried to give "anyone with access to the Internet a chance to tell the world what they think on a broad variety of topics.

[3] In 2008, a controversy about opinions about an Ohio church and pastor reportedly led to a judge's order requiring RateItAll to release information about the senders of the e-mails.

[1] CEO Lawrence Coburn explained to a reporter: "The only information that we require to post a review is: e-mail address, nickname and password ...

[7] One newspaper critic in 2004 found RateItAll's product reviews weren't as extensive as Epinions.com and other larger sites.